Calm before the storm

Pretty good day so far.  It's warming up after a few "coolish" days here in Pent.  Started off with a good breakfast(they are fantastic here at our B&B!!) and then went to meet a couple friends at the beach and do a short swim.  I went a bit later today so the waves had begun to kick up.  It's almost like Hawaii here where it's calm in the early morning then the trade winds come in.  I got tossed around a bit by the waves.  But I just focused on staying calm in rough water.  Breathe in breathe out, if I take in some water, exhale it out as well.  I really do hope it's not that wavy tomorrow, I still have some anxiety about the open water swim, especially with so many people.

So after the swim we came home, relaxed for a few minutes then Cam messaged me telling me he was down there already doing some volunteering by the bike check in.  So I hopped on my bike and rode down there, I put on my Garmin for all your viewing pleasure.  My wonderful wife brought my transition bags that I have to check in today.  Once I got there I waited for her and she quickly stopped in a non-parking area and I retrieved them out of the car.  Got my bike racked in transition and dropped my bag off in it's proper spot.  The transition bags are all placed in rows according to your number.  so you can run through transition just go in the row that has your bag in it and run by picking it up as you run off into the change tent.  Very efficient, and they also have volunteers around on race day in case you get stupid while racing(like me) and still have to ask for your bag.  I let some air out of the tires so I can just pump them up tomorrow morning then off to the merchandise tent.

As I suspected the lines are way down, I looked around a bit but didn't feel like dishing out for any clothes.  I could use a bunch of stuff but I honestly have NO money at all.  I'm broke, so no clothes for me.  I did buy a mug for work though since I broke my last IMC mug, and some cheap water bottles.  Then after that and some stops at the Power Bar booth for some drinks to keep hydrated/fueled up I walked home.  I met a couple more friends and walked part of the way back with one of them who was headed to the bike barn anyways.  This is my favorite part about the whole weekend, meeting friends and also making new ones!!

It'll be sad to see IMC go, but a excellant change to go to this new company called Challenge.  They are HUGE and run the biggest Iron(distance) race in the world.  They can do this because they run with heats.  some people have a hard time letting go of WTC, but just give them a chance they are going to be doing wayyy more with the community, more kids things, a huge festival with the race, and probably draw more bigger name pros to the race.  Sure there will be no kona slots for that race.  But if I really want to make another attempt at that I can go to another race, or simply live with the fact that this year will be my last.  It's all or nothing uh.

In about an hour we'll meet up with Cam and his family and maybe some extended family for a pasta dinner. We're going for 4:30 to make sure we get a table.  This restaurant we're going to does not take reservations.  It'll be good to chat about the race one last time.  By this time tomorrow I should be on my way back to town on the run course, running myself back into the race hopefully.  Cheers,